I Love You to Death (1990) - Great ensemble fire up Kasdan's true-crime comedy

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Co-star Kevin Kline looks moronic in white pajama piece on this poster for Lawrence Kasdan's I Love You to Death

Joey is a hard-working family man in New York, who keeps his steam up by cheating voraciously with different women. When his wife discovers this, she and her mother wish Joey dead!

 

I Love You to Death is written by John Kostmayer (Simon & Simon (1984, TV-series)) and directed by Lawrence Kasdan (Body Heat (1981)). It is based on a true story from Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Kevin Kline (Beauty and the Beast (2017)) has his skin darkened for the Italian-American role of the worry-free Joey, who thinks of the US as an Italian country, and who admits to 12 counts of infidelity in 14 days in the film's funny first scene. Once again, this film proves that Kline is simply a comedic talent to reckon with. Tracey Ullman (Howard's End (2017, miniseries)) is sweet as the wife, and Joan Plowright (Rock My World (2002)) is also funny as the quick-witted mother-in-law with double standards. River Phoenix (Little Nikita (1988)) is lovely as the new-age indeterminate Devo, and Keanu Reeves (The Devil's Advocate (1997)) and John Hurt (The Village (2004)) appear as authentic, hopeless drug addict assassins. 

The focus on a (very) unfaithful husband, who nevertheless still loves his family and is good with them, can inspire debate about marriage, monogamy and so forth. The steam doesn't last all the way through the picture, but there is plenty to laugh at and like about I Love You to Death.

 

Related posts:

Lawrence Kasdan: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) - Disney, Howard and Co. drive expensive stick through beloved franchise (co-writer)

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) - Abrams scores big time, makes beautiful space opera blockbuster (writer) 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

Dreamcatcher (2003) - Kasdan's career-crippling King adaptation 

Continental Divide (1981) - Unpersuasive Belushi comedy (writer)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - Spielberg reasserts himself with tremendous boyish adventure (co-writer)

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Uncertain

Box office: In excess of 16.1 mil. $ (North America alone)

= Uncertain but likely a box office success (projected return of 2.81 times its cost)

[I Love You to Death was released 6 April (USA) and runs 97 minutes. Plowright was paid 250k $ for her performance in the film. Shooting took place from April - July 1989 in Washington. The film opened #6 to a 4 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 16.1 mil. $. If we estimate an 8 mil. $ budget and a hesitant foreign reception a 22.5 mil. $ final gross could be projected, which would rank as a box office success. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Kasdan returned with Grand Canyon (1991). Kline returned in Soapdish (1991); Ullman in 6 TV and video titles prior to her theatrical return in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993). I Love You to Death is rotten at 58 % with a 5.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of I Love You to Death?

Continental Divide (1981) - Unpersuasive Belushi comedy

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Co-star John Belushi looks unwell in the embrace of beautiful co-star Blair Brown on this poster for Michael Apted's Continental Divide

Ernie is a star journalist in Chicago, where everybody knows him, but where his knack for exposing the powerful is beginning to threaten his safety. And so he gets sent on an assignment to a woman who lives alone in the Rocky Mountains.

 

Continental Divide is written by Lawrence Kasdan (Mumford (1999)) and directed by Michael Apted (The Triple Echo (1972)).

Internal logic must yield to get this high-concept romcom train on a set of tracks: - Why does forceful Ernie go so far away, when he really doesn't want to, - for two weeks!?! His work and the totally predictable, clichéd romance are both elements that are presented stiffly, SPOILER and the ending, in which a pressured Kasdan seemingly wants to have his cake and eat it, too, has him letting the two get married, but then break up, as Ernie jumps on a train back to Chicago, is really bizarre. 

It is a general flaw in Continental Divide that it tonally sits between chairs: At times an honest, romantic drama with a visual nature vs. city contrast, and at other times an over-the-top comedy vehicle for John Belushi (Neighbors (1981)). Of course the film should have been the latter thing from beginning to end. What we get instead is the subversive Belushi magic sterilized for 90 % of the time here in a thin cup of tea posing as a 'good time' film. 

Related post:

Michael Apted: Gorky Park (1983) - Cool Hurt investigates murders in Apted's fine Cold War Moscow thriller

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 9 mil. $

Box office: In excess of 15.5 mil. $ (North America alone)

= Uncertain but likely a flop (projected return of 2.22 times its cost)

[Continental Divide was released 1 September (Canada) and runs 103 minutes. It was the first film made by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. Shooting took place from October 1980 - January 1981 in Chicago, Illinois, Washington DC, Colorado, Washington, Los Angeles, California, Idaho, Michigan and Montana. Belushi reportedly was sober for the duration of the shoot but then fell back into a cocaine-driven production with his next - and last - film, Neighbors, which led up to his 1982 death from a cocaine and heroine overdose. The film opened #1 to a 3.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 15.5 mil. $. Its foreign release was limited to 9 other markets, and the result may have been small. A 20 mil. $ final gross is projected, which would rank the film as a flop. It was nominated for a Golden Globe. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Apted returned with P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang (1982, TV movie), First Love (1982, TV-series) and theatrically with Gorky Park (1983). Belushi returned in Neighbors (1981); Blair Brown (Fringe (2008-12)) in American Playhouse (1982, TV-series), Kennedy (1983, miniseries) and theatrically in A Flash of Green (1984). Continental Divide is fresh at 73 % with a 6.20/10 average rating at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Continental Divide?

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - Spielberg reasserts himself with tremendous boyish adventure

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The wonderfully crafted poster with lots of details and the irresistible title art for Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark

Archeologist, teacher and adventurer Indiana Jones is briefed by US intelligence services that Nazis are searching for the mythical Lost Ark in Egypt, believing that it will make their army invincible. - But not if Jones finds it first!

 

Raiders of the Lost Ark is written by Lawrence Kasdan (Dreamcatcher (2003)), with Philip Kaufman (Rising Sun (1993)) and George Lucas (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)) contributing story elements, and directed by Ohioan master filmmaker Steven Spielberg (The Sugarland Express (1974)), whose 5th feature it is.

It is a pure breed of film, a rare experience in excitement, fun and imagination; thrilling, colorful and crammed with fantastical action sequences and magnificent music (score by John Williams (The Post (2017))), as well as unforgettable, charismatic performances by Harrison Ford (Ender's Game (2013)), Karen Allen (Year by the Sea (2016)) as Marion Ravenwood and Ronald Lacey (Valmont (1989)) as the ultra-evil German Toht. 

The scenes that will etch themselves into your memory for all their unique charms, ingenuity and general awesomeness are pretty much standing in line in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Related posts:

Steven Spielberg: The Fabelmans (2022) or, My Wonderful Upbringing

2017 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
The Post (2017) - Spielberg returns to mastery with a thrilling salute to the virtues of real, critical, brave journalism
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
Lincoln (2012) - Spielberg's inspiring presidential portrait stands tall 
War Horse (2011) - Spielberg visits WWI with problematic horse drama  
The Adventures of Tintin/The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011) - Affinities for Tintin, earlier Spielberg and film will decide your experience of this 3D mo-cap adventure
Super 8 (2011) - Abrams' nostalgic family crowdpleaser (producer)

The 2000s in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Munich (2005) - Spielberg wrings a brilliant spy thriller from fraught real-life massacre and its aftermath

Top 10: Best HBO titles 

2001 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
Band of Brothers - TV mini-series (2001) - WWII-sacrifice and -comradeship portrayed with skill and integrity (producer) 

Top 10: Best future-set movies 
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) - A robot fairy tale with both heart and mind
Amistad (1997) or, Must... Free... Slaves! 

Hook (1991) - Arr, Spielbergian folly 
Empire of the Sun (1987) - Spielberg's grand production of boy-in-China-during-WWII is a misfire

The Goonies (1985) - Sweet child performances drive Donner's beloved, uneven adventure (story) 
Twilight Zone The Movie (1983) - Fear takes many forms in tragedy-struck anthology

Top 10: Best family movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) - Spielberg's greatest accomplishment
1941 (1979) - Spielberg's bizarre 'comedy spectacular' sinks like a rock  
Top 10: Best car chases in movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Duel (1971) - Spielberg's truck terror is ideal afternoon fare 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 18-20 mil. $ (different accounts)

Box office: 389.9 mil. $

= Blockbuster (returned 20.52 times its cost)

[Raiders of the Lost Ark was released 12 June (North America) and runs 115 minutes. Spielberg was reportedly paid 1.5 mil. $ for directing, while Lucas got reportedly 2.5 mil. $ for his inputs, plus a gross percentage for Spielberg and a profit participation for Lucas, likely running into a huge multi-million dollar back-end payment for both. Ford was paid 5.9 mil. $ for his performance, while Alfred Molina received 2.5k $ per week. Shooting took place from June - September 1980 in England, France, Tunisia, Arizona, Hawaii and California, including in San Francisco. The film opened #1 to an 8.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it climbed the charts again after a few weeks and regained #1 in its 6th week, spending most of the following 9 weeks at #1 and a total of 40 weeks in the Top 10. It was the highest-grossing film of the year, grossing 212.2 mil. $ in North America (54.4 % of the total gross). Several re-releases continued to increase the total gross, and VHS and later DVD and Blu-ray releases further grew the feature's amazing profitability. The film was nominated for 9 Oscars, winning 5; for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Sound, Editing, Visual Effects and a Special Achievement Oscar for Sound Effects Editing. It lost Best Cinematography (Douglas Slocombe (Nijinski (1980))) to Vittorio Storaro for Reds, Director to Warren Beatty for Reds, Score to Vangelis for Chariots of Fire and Picture also to Chariots of Fire. It also won 1/7 BAFTA nominations, was nominated for a César award, a Golden Globe, and won a Grammy and a National Board of Review award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. The film spun a franchise with the next film, - with Ford, Spielberg and others returning, - being Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). IMDb's users have rated the film in at #60 on the site's Top 250 list, sitting between Wall-E (2008) and The Lives of Others (2006). Spielberg first returned with E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982). Ford first returned in Blade Runner (1982). Raiders of the Lost Ark is certified fresh at 93 % with a 9.0/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) - Disney, Howard and Co. drive expensive stick through beloved franchise

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Smug stars crowd this retro-styled poster for Ron Howard's Solo: A Star Wars Story that seems like it wants to hide the fact that it promotes a hyper-commercial venture for one of the world's largest media giants

As a young pilot rapscallion, Han Solo is a cocksure space adventurer, when he meets Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is written by father and son Jonathan Kasdan (Dawson's Creek (2000-02)) and Lawrence Kasdan (Mumford (1999)) and directed by great Oklahoman filmmaker Ron Howard (Grand Theft Auto (1977)). It is the 2nd Star Wars anthology film after Disney's acquisition of the franchise, following Rogue One (2016), and is a prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy (1977; 1980; 1983).

The film is catastrophically uninspired, empty and vapid, a character-focused outing for the Mouse House that's a complete misfire from Howard, likely his career's costliest fail. 

Alden Ehrenreich (Stoker (2013)) is like a thorn in the eye for any one who remembers and appreciates Harrison Ford in the role as Han Solo, a reminder that inevitably comes up again and again when watching Solo: A Star Wars Story. Emilia Clarke (Me Before You (2016)) is another petite, female, British heroine in the popular universe, (following Daisy Ridley and Felicity Jones in the immediately preceding films); and Donald Glover (Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)) is awkward and vulgar in ways that don't seem like the original Lando as portrayed by Billy Dee Williams. 

The plot is superficial, and we never come to care for a single part of the slick affair. There's handsome CGI effects, - but the gigantic budget is still wasted sorely here. Solo: A Star Wars Story is the worst Star Wars movie to date.

 

Related posts:

 

Star Wars franchise: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker/Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - A solid saga ending 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi/Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) - Glorious, rousing, superb adventure 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) or, Ginny's Fate: A Star Wars Calculation
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) - Abrams scores big time, makes beautiful space opera blockbuster

Ron Howard: Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011) - Stapleton's Corman doc. is among the year's best films (interview subject)

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 
2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess
Frost/Nixon (2008) - Howard's political drama is gripping, superiorly acted 
The Da Vinci Code (2006) - Howard's first Brown adaptation is a popcorn thriller hoot  

2001 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
Top 10: The best biopic movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
A Beautiful Mind (2001) - John Nash given the Epic Treatment  
EDtv (1999) - Phenomenal cast shine in Howard's witty mega-flop

Far and Away (1992) - Howard, Hollywood's sweethearts visit the old West with dull result (co-writer/director) 
Backdraft (1991) - Howard's giant, stupid Chicago-set firefighter movie 

Grand Theft Auto (1977) or, Crash Bam Boom! 
American Graffiti (1973) or, Cruisin' Modesto '62 (actor)   

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 275 - 300 mil. $ (different sources)

Box office: 392.9 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.36 times its cost)

[Solo: A Star Wars Story premiered 10 May (Los Angeles) and runs 135 minutes. The film started production with directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller at the helm. Ten days into production, 54.5 mil. $ had already been spent on the film, reportedly. Almost 4½ months later, the duo were fired from the project due to their comedic angle on the film, and Howard was instead hired for the job. He eventually reshot about 70 % of the film. Shooting took place from January - October 2017 in Italy, Spain and the UK. The film opened #1 to an 84.4 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another weekend at #1 and then 2 more in the top 5 (#2-#4), grossing 213.7 mil. $ (54.4 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 25.8 mil. $ (6.6 %) and Japan with 18.9 mil. $ (4.8 %). The film was nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar, lost to First Man. It is the first Star Wars movie to become a flop. The franchise continued with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Howard returned with Pavarotti (2019, documentary). Ehrenreich returned in Brave New World (2020, miniseries) and theatrically in Fair Play (2023); Clarke in Leading Lady Parts (2018, short), Game of Thrones (2011-19) and theatrically in Above Suspicion (2019); and Glover in 2 music videos and a video game prior to his theatrical return in Guava Island (2019). Solo: A Star Wars Story is fresh at 69 % with a 6.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Solo: A Star Wars Story?

Dreamcatcher (2003) - Kasdan's career-crippling King adaptation

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The enticing, icy-cold poster for Lawrence Kasdan's Dreamcatcher

QUICK REVIEW:

Four childhood friends, who share a mysterious experience with a retarded boy called Duddits, are now on their way up to share a weekend together in a cabin, when a series of scary events occur.

Dreamcatcher, written by William Goldman (Chaplin (1992)) and writer-director Lawrence Kasdan (Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015), writer), is an adaptation of Stephen King's (Dolores Claiborne (1992)) same-titled 2001 novel. It begins pretty well, and it brings together a good quartet of actors: Jason Lee (Growing Up Smith (2015)), Thomas Jane (The Mist (2007)), Timothy Olyphant (Justified (2010-15)) and Damian Lewis (An Unfinished Life (2005)).
Dreamcatcher goes on to develop in surprisingly, extremely gross ways, (SPOILER the toilet scene is, admittedly, a bull's eye horror-wise.) But apart from each other, the four characters are annoying, SPOILER and they then die, - but then live on ... And then Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption (1994)) shows up, acting well, but depicting an army leader, SPOILER who bombs aliens and whose function for the original story is unclear.
What King possibly (possibly not?) makes work in the novel certainly doesn't in this overly cryptic, overlong film. Dreamcatcher does, however, have outstanding special effects.

Related review:

Lawrence Kasdan: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) - Abrams scores big time, makes beautiful space opera blockbuster (writer) 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 68 mil. $
Box office: 75.7 mil. $
= Big flop
[Dreamcatcher was released March 21 and runs 133 minutes. Filming took place around Prince George, British Columbia. It opened #2, behind Bringing Down the House, to a 15 mil. $ opening weekend in North America, where it grossed 33.7 mil. $ (44.5 % of the total gross). Its 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Japan with 5.5 mil. $ (7.3 %) and Spain with 5.1 mil. $ (6.7 %). Kasdan, who has earned a renaissance with Star Wars VII, related in a 2012 interview that the poor performance of Dreamcatcher hurt his career and held him from getting work for years. He finally returned with Darling Companion (2012), a romcom about a woman who loves her dog more than her husband, who then loses the dog, which he wrote, produced and directed. Dreamcatcher is rotten at 30 % with a 4.7 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Dreamcatcher?

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) - Abrams scores big time, makes beautiful space opera blockbuster

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+ Best Blockbuster of the Year
+ Best Shooting Star Actress of the Year (Daisy Ridley)

+ Most Profitable Movie of the Year: 582.36 mil. $ range

 

The irresistible, packed poster for J. J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars is back!
And back in top shape, thank God! Disney acquired Lucasfilm and the franchise in 2012 (for a whopping 4.06 bil. $) and have done right by it in a big way here: Great filmmaker J.J. Abrams (Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)) has co-written the script with Lawrence Kasdan (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)), based on an existing Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine (2006)) script.

A storm trooper, who adopts the name Finn, rises against the misdeeds of the First Order and joins forces with a scrap collector called Rey and a droid called BB8, who has vital information concerning the whereabouts of Jedi master Luke Skywalker and the Jedi temple.

The Force Awakens takes place about 30 years after the last of the 'old' Star Wars movies, Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi (1983). It presents (the beginning of) a fresh story that is to play out in two coming episodes (released in '17 and '19, probably), which also relies on several familiar characters from the old movies. Therefore, the new film is closer to the original three Star Wars movies (1977; 1980; 1983) than the recent three (1999; 2002; 2005).
The Force Awakens ranks up there with the best of the franchise, which are in my opinion Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1983) and Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), (and yes, I know that I'm somewhat alone in loving the latter film.)
The new film is a roller coaster ride of emotions, especially for a Star Wars fan: Excitement, awe, laughs and several touching moments. - The Force Awakens is certainly the most emotional Star Wars movie to date!

Star Wars creator George Lucas (Star Wars: Episode VI - A New Hope (1977)) has played an ambiguous ringside role in the making of the new film, pretty far removed from influence, as far as I can discern, which was probably a good decision on the part of Disney, Abrams and co. They have brought an incredible score of other people originally central to the Star Wars movies back, so it is easy to understand Lucas' possibly mixed feeling about the film. - It is in his mold, though, and no-one has cashed in more on the franchise, both monetary and in terms of respect and admiration, than he.
The new film presents two great, young stars as new leading forces: English Daisy Ridley (Scrawl (2015)) has the perfect, nimble physique and intensity to carry her role as Rey, and also English John Boyega (Attack the Block (2011)) has a great innocence to him, and can deliver humorous lines like a pro. - They have great chemistry and suit the screen beautifully. Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave (2013)) plays an amazing CGI-created character called Kanata, which has no resemblance to her, so if you had looked forward to see Nyong'o turn in another great performance, you might feel cheated here; but on the other hand the creature she portrays is really special. New rotund droid BB8 quickly steals audiences' hearts, but beloved veteran droids R2D2 and C3PO also turn up for some hearty laughs and good times. Domhnall Gleeson (Ex Machina (2015)) is a frightening, fascist leader, and Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)) stars as another CGI character, (his specialty by now), the giant Snoke. I don't know if I think CGI evil is so auspicious, really; the human face can create a sense of evil that is just more compelling, I suspect, as Ian McDiarmid (Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)), for instance, proved again and again as Chancellor Palpatine in the 5 last Star Wars films. Then there's Adam Driver (Frances Ha (2012)) as new villain Kylo Ren, who seems more like a rebellious post teen with an anger issue for some time, but later gets a lot more potent. Driver is tremendous in the part, and he is instrumental in two of the film's best scenes: SPOILER Firstly Han Solo's death scene, which should go down as one of the great death scenes in cinema history, which lends the film enormous weight; and secondly the climactic snow forest laser sword fight, which is unbelievably beautiful visually.
From the 'old gang', Harrison Ford (Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)), Carrie Fisher (Maps to the Stars (2014)) and Chewbacca have great, emotionally soaring scenes, and they immediately seem natural, back as the characters we haven't seen on the silver screen in decades. SPOILER And Mark Hamill (Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)) also turns up in the film's (nearly) heart-stopping ending.
The Force Awakens is a stunning, almost perfect space opera, an absolute delight and certainly a must-see in the cinema (preferably in 3D) experience. An outstanding Christmas treat and a film to rewatch over and over again.

Related posts:

2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]

2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

A star is born: J. J. Abrams' Star Wars - The Force Awakens' Daisy Ridley

Watch the great trailer for the movie here

Cost: 200 mil. $ (423 mil. $ includes marketing, producing videos and merchandise such as video games, action figures and costumes)
Box office: Not known yet
= Unknown
[The Force Awakens was shot partially on IMAX cameras May - November 2014 in England, Iceland, Abu Dhabi and the US. Ford fractured a leg during production, and Abrams injured his back in the same accident. John Williams (Lincoln (2012)) composed the score. The movie premiered in Hollywood's Chinese, El Capitan and Dolby theaters simultaneously, and is breaking several records on its opening weekend. Its gross is expected to be somewhere between 2-3 bil. $, with a total that includes merchandise sales upwards of 10 bil. $. Critics and audiences alike are loving Star Wars: The Force Awakens heartily: It is certified fresh at 97 % with an 8.3 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Star Wars: The Force Awakens?